SWORD AND SWORD-BELT IN CAROLINGIAN TIMES. THE WARRIOR BURIAL NO. 23 FROM ZÁVADA RECONSIDERED

The paper analyses components of early medieval burial equipment from grave 23 in Závada, district Topoľčany/SK after restoration that took place in 2017. The grave contained a type X sword, a pair of spurs, an incomplete set of sword belt fittings and a knife. Formerly accepted dating of the items found in grave 23, based on the concept of the Blatnica-Mikulčice Horizon, determined the chronology of the grave back to the first third of the 9th century. However, based on more recent finds about the chronology of an equestrian’s equipment, the chronology of the assemblage should be shifted rather to the period between the mid-9th century and the beginning of or even the mid-10th century.